“We are the natives of this country. We feel we own the whole of this country, every bit of it, and we ought to have something to say about it” – Bob Anderson

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Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Who will ultimately pay the price...

The Enbridge Pipeline Project Proposal and the potential impacts of a spill from the pipeline and or a Super Tanker have far reaching implications beyond the Northwest Coast of BC!

Imagine 225 Ultra Crude Carrier (Super Tanker) of over 1000 feet long, 160 feet wide, 110 feet deep and 1.4 Billion pounds when fully loaded, going at 16 knots, traveling into our water ways, meandering through narrow and potentially treacherous channels. Keep in mind that it takes up to 3 kms long (a full 15 minutes) to go from full speed ahead to full reverse. Now imagine it hitting a rock, spilling up to 2 million barrels of bitumen (unrefined highly toxic tar/oil). That is 10 times the volume of Exxon Valdez (Refer to map of Prince William Sound in Alaska)!!!!

Did you know that Bitumen, which is full of all kinds of toxins, if spilled would sink when in the ocean and smother the ocean bottom, but the oil and toxins will ooze out of this heavy substance (tar) float to the surface and kill all that is on the surface and shores!!! One of the larger potential hazards to all marine species of a potential oil spill in the Northern Tanker route is the way the water currents flow right in the same path as all of our Pacific Salmon and if the oil sinks, this would be very detrimental to all of the salmon as the food source that they live on comes from the bottom of the sea when the North Pacific up-wells nutrients to the surface.

Now, consider the vastness of the coast, the tides, the weather, the water conditions, the distance of the nearest response team, the amount of labor and equipment required and how long it would take to mobilize this effort to slow the hemorrhage and minimize the damage, because we would not be able to stop it!!!!

Think about where the oil, which would be a lot if you consider the elements and factors above, that manages to leach along the western (Haida Gwaii), northern, central, and southern shores of BC, Alaska, and Washington states and how this would affect our pristine water ways and suffocate and kill all the marine life and swamp onto our beaches kill the plant life and leach into our river systems, and killing our bird life and harming all the other land species, including humans, that rely on these resources for sustenance.

Then think about the fact that Enbridge's liability ends when this so called petroleum product hits the tanker hold, and they can wipe their hands from any responsibility to clean up. And the fact that they and the tankers are only facilitating the transfer of the oil from the oil companies to the refineries and customers in China and around the world....

Who is going to be ultimately responsible for the cleanup, how much will this cost? Who will ultimately pay the price for a few measly jobs and some tax money...? WE WILL!

Are you willing to take the risk?... Are you willing to say Yes or abstain (which is just like saying yes) to this eventual possibility?... Are you willing to risk our irreplaceable and invaluable resources for a few jobs and money from dirty oil? Are you willing to destroy what rightfully belongs to your children, and children's children, and future generations for short term gains?

We the Hilzaqv of Bella Bella are not and we hope you will join us as we say NO TO ENBRIDGE, because it would will not only be us who will suffer, you will be affected as well, but more importantly our future generations will be holding the burden if it is decided that this project will proceed.

Although we are of the mindset that the Tar Sands exploration be discontinued for a number of serious environmental reasons, but realize this is not likely, the industry should be challenged to consider other alternatives such as refining the oil in Alberta and keep the jobs here in Canada and the tankers off our shores!

Say NO to the Enbridge Northern Gateway Project being proposed in Haisla Territory and Say NO to Ultra Large Crude Carriers traveling through our Pristine Coastal Waters!